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PXF Import in Autopipe

PXF Import in Autopipe

PXF Import in Autopipe

(OP)
Hello Everybody,

I'm having some troubles with importing a *.PXF in Autopipe. I know how to do it, but the imported *.PXF isn't quite the same as the pipe we designed in Autoplant.

1. There are some warnings that the pipe thickness is set to D/10 or D/4, wich is not a correct representation.
2. There are multiple pipe identifiers for the same length of pipe wich should be the same(probably related to point 1)
3. Zero lenght nodes and zero mass in some points.

I want to start with my calculations, but in stead i'm stuck in setting the spec right manually, wich is a very time consuming process.

My boss don't want me to draw the line manually in autopipe, because we already have it drawn in autoplant. And it should work...

We are also using EN 10253-2 for our fittings, and our spec is constructed this way in Autoplant.

Does someone have had the same problems? Can someone give me advise for the mapping file: metric.map and cadap.map?

Kind regards,

StressedPiper

RE: PXF Import in Autopipe

StressedPiper,

Yes, there is a certain amount of cleanup and corrections to be done with a PXF import from AutoPlant.  The database incomplete descriptions for the piping is part of the cause for items like wall thickness not being transferred.

The PXF model is exported with a separate pipeID for each segment of the CAD model.  If the line is modeled as separate items even though joined sequentially, there are individual pipeID numbers assigned to each.  The thing to do is to select all the items of the line and then do a 'MODIFY'+ "Pipe properties over Range" to reset the pipeID's to one ID for the one line.  Going thru all the pipeID's and consolidating into one or two ID's for each pipe size could reduce the number of pipeID's to less than half of original total.

Maybe a more current version of AutoPipe has improved PXF file import results.  My version still has only carbon steel material for the PXF.  It is relatively simple to change the entire model to another material, but more complicated if different branches or portions have differing materials.  The entire model is defined with the temperatures and pressures at the time of import PXF.  If there are other portions of piping with different temperature or pressure, then the user must select and designate the temperature and pressure in that portion.  The valve weights could be imported with the PXF, if the database is defined with weights.  Otherwise, user will need to go thru and input the weights for valves and flanges.  There are the weld-olet fittings defined with weights which clutter up the model with small non-critical fractional pounds of weight.

The lines designed with fitting make-up diimensions will have zero length nodes.  These can be remedied by a small shift of the node by a fraction of an inch or few millimeters of dimensions ('MODIFY'+ "point").

The PXF file has geometry and pipe sizes, so it is still an advantage over a stick-built model, unless it is a very simple geometry, like model of one size / no branches.

RE: PXF Import in Autopipe

(OP)
Thank you ApC2Kp for the quick respons, but I was afraid of this answer...  

I'm using Autopipe plus V8i, so still no improvement.

Looks like I have to do some cleaning up work then...

Pity that in my company the senior engineers are to much manager than engineer, they also never had any expieriance with autopipe or computers. They read something about PXF import in autopipe and think that everything is solved ... (sigh)



   

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